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O wonderful and longed-for one by us, may there be an increase of virtue again and again and a treasuring up of good works so that you may depart from here as a great merchant for the participation in eternal things. Let the matters of the address, therefore, rest here. But since you also asked again about the presbyter, pointing out the unspeakable debt, we say this, that the canon does not permit a presbyter even to feast at the wedding of a man who is marrying for a second time, how much more to crown such a man? For the crown is placed on one who conquers incontinence and has preserved the glory of virginity. But the man marrying a second time, in addition to not being worthy to be crowned, has also been subjected to penances canonically. How then did he not fear to crown those lying under the canons for second marriage? From us, therefore, forgive me, even if there were no other accusation, it is not permitted for him to officiate at all, I do not know if, by way of economy, he might not distribute to you the consecrated elements, which have been completed by a presbyter who is saved. Concerning the reader, that he returned after being put under penance, it is just that until the time of a synod he should not be vested; for the presbyter, when under penance, is barred from the liturgy, and the deacon from his ministry, and the reader from reading. We think and prescribe thus, but let your piety do as it thinks fit. 526 {1To Irene the patrician lady}1 A symbol of your good confidence is your addressing us, the humble ones, my most honored lady, through our beloved brother Lord Peter and your kinsman; through whom we also duly send greetings in return, praising your piety and zeal in good things, for this we know both from ourselves and are often taught by the brother, and that for the love of God you hold him in honor, worthily of the virtue in you and of the man's way of life. But since you asked about the monastery called "The Lions," whether it should be established as a men's monastery, having this choice in the transformation of what was formerly named and functioned as a women's monastery, we have this to answer, that if you had recently begun to consecrate the place, it would be permissible to accomplish whatever you choose; but since it has been previously consecrated through your daughter of blessed memory, who served there as abbess, and who maintained this for a considerable time with a community of virgins, even though a transfer of the brotherhood from there has occurred because of the preceding civil war, and the abbess herself lies here in holy tombs with other souls of the same order who preceded her, it is not lawful, as I think, lady, for you to make a change, especially since the remaining sisters and children of the former abbess choose to serve God here, where the abbess also lies. The word is apostolic: let each one remain in the state in which he was called. It was called a women's monastery; what reason is there for the change, for it to become named for men, especially when no men are seen before our eyes and those who were cast out cannot bear not to live there? If it is said that a change has often occurred in some monasteries, it was because of persecution and an unholy seizure and an unlawful authority. But for those whose faith is orthodox and whose life is not opposed, it would be fitting to speak and act lawfully and canonically. For this reason we advise and beseech, as if your blessed daughter herself were sending forth her voice through us the humble ones, let the monastery "The Lions" remain, functioning as a women's monastery and guarding her remaining daughters as servants of God in spirit; for this, with her and with your God-fearing piety, is a great glory indeed and irreproachable to those who find fault with our affairs. This the apostle urges, saying: Give no offense to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God. For if you do not act thus, the affair will have no stopping point, once moved from what is proper to what is unnatural, and we would bear the transgression not without being mocked, and I would add, even condemned. 527 {1To Eudokimos the spatharios}1 We have delayed

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θαυμάσιε καὶ ἐπιπόθητε ἡμῖν, ἐπαύξησις ἀρετῆς ἔτι καὶ ἔτι καὶ θησαύρισις ἀγαθῶν ἔργων εἰς τὸ μεγαλεμπόρως ἀπᾶραί σε τῶν ἐνθένδε ἐπὶ μεθέξει τῶν ἀιδίων. Τὰ μὲν οὖν τῆς προσηγορίας ἐνταῦθα κείσθω. ἐπειδὴ δὲ καὶ περὶ τοῦ πρεσβυτέρου ἐπερώτησας αὖθις, ὑποδείξας τὸ ἀνεξαγόρευτον ὄφλημα, ἐκεῖνο λέγομεν, ὅτι ὁ κανὼν οὐδὲ εἰς διγαμοῦντος γάμον ἑστιαθῆναι τὸν πρεσβύτερον παραχωρεῖ, πόσῳ γε μᾶλλον στεφανῶσαι τὸν τοιοῦτον; ὁ γὰρ στέφανος ἐπιτίθεται ἐπὶ τῷ νικῶντι τὴν ἀκρασίαν καὶ τὸ τῆς παρθενίας κλέος ἀποσωσαμένῳ. ὁ δὲ διγαμῶν πρὸς τῷ μὴ ἄξιος εἶναι στεφανωθῆναι καὶ ἐπιτιμίοις ὑποβέβληται κανονικῶς. πῶς οὖν οὐκ ἔδεισε στεφανῶσαι τοὺς ὑπὸ κανόνας κειμένους τῆς διγαμίας; παρ' ἡμῶν τοίνυν, σύγγνωθι, ἵνα μηδὲν ἦν ἄλλο αἰτίαμα, οὐκ ἐπιτέτραπται τὸ καθόλου ἱερουργεῖν, οὐκ οἶδα εἰ μή τι κατ' οἰκονομίαν μεταδιδεῖν ὑμῖν τῶν ἁγιασμάτων, παρὰ σεσωσμένου πρεσβυτέρου τετελεσμένων. περὶ τοῦ ἀναγνώστου, ὅτι ἐπέστρεψεν ἐπιτιμιασθείς, δίκαιόν ἐστιν ἕως καιροῦ συνόδου μὴ ἀποστολίζεσθαι αὐτόν· ὁ μὲν γὰρ πρεσβύτερος εἴργεται τῆς λειτουργίας ἐπιτιμιασθείς, ὁ δὲ διάκονος τῆς διακονίας καὶ ὁ ἀναγνώστης τῆς ἀναγνώσεως. ἡμεῖς οὕτως φρονοῦμεν καὶ τυποῦμεν, ὡς δὲ ἡ εὐσέβεια ὑμῶν νομίζει, ποιείτω. 526 {1Εἰρήνῃ πατρικίᾳ}1 Τῆς ἀγαθῆς σου πεποιθήσεως σύμβολον τὸ ἡμᾶς τοὺς ταπεινοὺς προσαγορεῦσαι, κυρία τιμιωτάτη μοι, διὰ τοῦ ἠγαπημένου ἡμῶν ἀδελφοῦ κυρίου Πέτρου καὶ συγγενοῦς σου· δι' οὗ καὶ ἡμεῖς ἀντιπροσαγορεύομεν ὀφειλομένως, ἐπαινοῦντές σου τὸ εὐσεβὲς καὶ εὐζήλωτον ἐν ἀγαθοῖς, ὅτι τοῦτο καὶ ἀφ' ἑαυτῶν ἴσμεν καὶ παρὰ τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ πολλάκις διδασκόμεθα, καί γε ὡς διὰ θεοῦ ἀγάπην καὶ αὐτὸν διὰ τιμῆς ἄγοις ἀξίως τῆς ἐνούσης σοι ἀρετῆς καὶ τῆς τοῦ ἀνδρὸς πολιτείας. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ ἠρώτησας περὶ τοῦ μοναστηρίου τοῦ ἐπιλεγομένου τοὺς Λέοντας, ὡς εἰ δέοι ἀνδρεῖον αὐτὸ καταστήσασθαι, οὕτως αἱρέσεως ἔχουσα ἐν τῷ μετασχηματισμῷ τοῦ πρὶν γυναικείαν μονὴν ὀνομαζομένου καὶ χρηματίσαντος, τοῦτο ἀποκρίνασθαι ἔχομεν, ὅτι, εἰ μὲν νεωστὶ ἦρκταί σοι καθιεροῦν τὸν τόπον, ἐξὸν ὅπερ αἱρῇ διαπράξασθαι· ἐπειδὴ δὲ προκαθιέρωται διὰ τῆς ἐν μακαρίᾳ μνήμῃ τελεσθείσης σου θυγατρὸς ἐκεῖσε καθηγουμένης καὶ τοῦτο ἐπὶ χρόνοις ἱκανοῖς διακρατησάσης μετὰ καὶ συνοδίας παρθενικῆς, εἰ καὶ ὅτι μετάθεσις γέγονεν ἐκ τοῦ προλαβόντος ἐμφυλίου πολέμου τῆς ἀδελφότητος τῶν ἐκεῖσε, αὐτῆς τε τῆς ἡγουμένης δεῦρο κατακειμένης ἐν θήκαις ὁσίαις μετὰ καὶ προλαβουσῶν ἄλλων ὁμοταγῶν ψυχῶν, οὐ θεμιτόν, ὡς οἶμαι κυρία, ἐξαλλαγὴν ποιήσασθαί σε, μάλιστα τῶν ἀφεθεισῶν ἀδελφῶν καὶ τέκνων τῆς προηγησαμένης ὧδε αἱρουμένων λατρεύειν θεῷ, ἔνθα καὶ ἡ καθηγουμένη κατάκειται. ἀποστολικὸς ὁ λόγος ἐστίν· ἕκαστος ἐν ᾧ ἐκλήθη, ἐν τούτῳ μενέτω. μονὴ ἐκλήθη γυναικεία· τίς λόγος τῆς μεταλλαγῆς ἀνδρώνυμον γενέσθαι, καίτοι ἀνδρῶν μὴ κατ' ὀφθαλμοὺς φαινομένων καὶ τῶν ἐκβεβλημένων οὐκ ἀνεχομένων μὴ οὐχὶ ἐκεῖσε διαζῆν; εἰ δὲ ὅτι γέγονε πολλάκις ἐξαλλαγὴ ἔν τισι μοναστηρίοις, ἀλλὰ κατὰ διωγμοῦ αἰτίαν καὶ ὑφαρπαγὴν οὐχ ὁσίαν καὶ ἐξουσίαν οὐκ ἔνθεσμον. οἷς δὲ καὶ πίστις ὀρθὴ καὶ βίος μὴ ἀνθιστάμενος, τούτοις ἀκόλουθον ἂν εἴη ἐνθέσμως καὶ κανονικῶς λέγειν καὶ πράττειν. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο παραινοῦμεν καὶ ἀντιβολοῦμεν, ὡς αὐτῆς τῆς μακαρίας θυγατρός σου φωνὴν ἀφιείσης δι' ἡμῶν τῶν ταπεινῶν, μενέτω τὸ μοναστήριον οἱ Λέοντες γυναικεῖον χρηματίζον καὶ φρουροῦν τὰς καταλειφθείσας θυγατέρας αὐτῆς ἐν πνεύματι λάτριδας θεῷ· τοῦτο γὰρ σὺν ἐκείνῃ καὶ τῇ σῇ θεοσεβείᾳ κλέος ὅτι μάλιστα καὶ ἀνεπίψογον τοῖς ἐπισκήπτουσι τὰ ἡμέτερα. ὅπερ παρεγγυᾷ ὁ ἀπόστολος, λέγων· ἀπρόσκοποι γίνεσθε καὶ Ἰουδαίοις καὶ Ἕλλησι καὶ τῇ ἐκκλη-σίᾳ τοῦ θεοῦ. ἐπεί, ἐὰν μὴ οὕτως πράξοις, τὸ μὲν δρᾶμα στάσιν οὐχ ἕξει, ἅπαξ κινηθὲν ἐκ τοῦ καθήκοντος εἰς τὸ παρὰ φύσιν, ἡμεῖς δὲ οὐκ ἔξω κωμῳδίας, προσθείην δ' ἂν καὶ κατακρίσεως, ἀπενεγκοίμεθα παράπτωμα. 527 {1Εὐδοκίμῳ σπαθαρίῳ}1 Ὠψίσαμεν